CONGRESS AZ TO THE SHORES OF THE SALTON SEA WHERE WE ENDED OUR DAY WITH A FINE SUNSET:))

A LITTLE WINDY OUT HERE ALONG THE EASTERN SHORES OF THE SALTON SEA

It’s nice waking up knowing one has enjoyable things to do & pleasant places to go for the day.  And we weren’t long in getting some of those things done.  It was 9:35 a.m. Arizona time when we rolled the big rig through our south gate & off down Ghost Town Road heading for our destination of Niland/Slab City California this morning.

HEADING WEST

Always one of my my favorite leisurely traffic free drives between Congress & Interstate 10 just east of Quartzsite.  We left Congress in moderate sunshine but could see storm clouds ahead to the west.  Wasn’t long & our sunshine was behind us & we were under a heavy cloud cover.  No matter it was just nice to be out motoring along & luckily we had the wind behind us for a change. 

KELLY SNUCK THIS PICTURE OF ME WEARING MY NEW 22-10 TON ALIEN BUG EYED COCOON SUNGLASSES…OH & THAT’S ONE OF MY NEW VESTS AS WELL:))

About an hour & a half to Quartzsite & we made our traditional stop at McDonalds for a coffee.  Had ourselves a couple tasty crispy chicken wraps.  No burgs & fries for us guys anymore. Picked up some fuel at the Pilot station beside McDonald’s & we were on our way again.

THIS TRUCK AHEAD OF US AT THE GAS PUMPS IN QUARTZSITE HAD HAWAIIAN PLATES ON IT…DO YOU SUPPOSE THEY PADDLED ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE PACIFIC WITH ALL THAT STUFF IN THE BACK?

Debated whether to take I-10 west to Mecca then south to Niland or take the slower scenic route southwest down through the Imperial Sand Dunes past Glamis to Brawley.  With a heavy wind blowing from the south I thought there could be some visibility problems in the sand dunes around Glamis so we opted for the I-10 route.  Traffic is never heavy & it’s always been an Okay trouble free drive for us.

CROSSING THE COLORADO RIVER FROM ARIZONA INTO CALIFORNIA

PHEEBS ISN’T INTO THE SCENERY QUITE AS MUCH AS I AM

About 20 minutes west of Quartzite & exactly 192 miles east of Los Angeles (saw it on a road sign) it was at the stroke of high noon we drove into the first of about half a dozen light rain showers.  Mainly intermittent wiper stuff but enough rain that I’ll have to wash the rig when we get home.

WE ARE HEADING INTO CALIFORNIA’S STORMY SKIES

At the Joshua Tree National Park exit off I-10 we picked up our frequently used short cut road through scenic Box Canyon on our way to Mecca.  Have used this shortcut on sunny days, at night, & today we rolled through under a cloud cover & I thought the canyon looked as nice as I have ever seen it.  Could be my much clearer new glasses I’m thinking.

ROLLING THROUGH PICTURESQUE BOX CANYON EAST OF MECCA CALIFORNIA

 

 

OUR FIRST GLIMPSE OF THE SALTON SEA’S NORTH SHORE

ALL KINDS OF GREEN AGRICULTURE IN THIS AREA…WELCOME TO CALIFORNIA

Hung a left turn in Mecca onto highway 111 & pointed our nose south for the trip down the east side of the Salton Sea.  This is another nice drive & I much prefer it to the west side of the Salton Sea where 4 lane traffic is fast & furious.  We remembered the Salt Creek Campground from a Jeep day trip last time we were at the Slabs a few weeks ago.  It’s a nice quiet big rig friendly area right beside the Salton Sea & we decided to spend the night here.  We’re only 25 miles north of Niland & it won’t take us long to reach Solar Mikes in the morning by 8:30.

OUR SPOT FOR THE NIGHT BESIDE THE SALTON SEA

 

LOOKING ACROSS THE SALTON SEA

So nice to sit by the lake at the picnic table above watching a beautiful sunset slowly slide it’s way over the distant Santa Rosa Mountains tonight.  We are pretty much directly across the water from Salton City & through my binoculars I could see the communication tower at Truck Haven Road west of Salton City which is on the way to Borrego Springs.  I knew JEAN & SKIP along with NAN & JOHN TALLEY were just about another 15 minutes drive west of Truck Haven Road down at the Clark Dry Lake Bed.  Hi Guys, gave you a big wave…..did you see me:))

  

 

LOOKING IN THE DIRECTION OF BORREGO SPRINGS

So peaceful tonight relaxing in our rig.  The lights of Salton City are shimmering all the way across the quiet waters of the Salton Sea.  Soft lighting in the coach & even softer music on our Sirius Satellite Radio.  Kelly’s in her leather chair with her laptop on her knee, Pheebs is stretched out sound asleep on the couch & I’m over here sitting at the dining room table just tapping myself out another daily post.  Just a mighty fine end to a mighty fine day………….:))

GROANER’S CORNER:((  A hot-headed golfer with a penchant for breaking clubs was playing one day when he came to the 16th hole, where he faced an approach shot across a ravine.  He said to his caddie, "What kind of distance do we have, son?"  The caddie replied, "About 135, sir."  "My 6 iron, please," said the hothead.  His caddie replied, "It's going to have to be either a 3 iron or 3 wood, sir. That's all that's left in the bag!"